Getting into vocational training with foreign qualifications

Terms used

• FP — FP is Spain's vocational training, taught at intermediate level (Grado Medio) and higher level (Grado Superior).
• ESO — The ESO title is the Spanish compulsory secondary school certificate, usually finished at 16.
• Bachillerato — Bachillerato is the two-year upper secondary course after ESO, needed for Grado Superior and university.
• Grado Medio — Grado Medio is the intermediate level of FP, which leads to a Técnico title.
• Grado Superior — Grado Superior is the higher level of FP, which normally requires Bachillerato or equivalent.

Key rules

• Recognition: A foreign title opens FP only if it is recognised as equivalent to ESO (Grado Medio) or Bachillerato (Grado Superior).
• Access test: Without a recognised title, the access test is the alternative, and it does not need homologation.
• Pass mark: Each part of the access test is scored 0 to 10, and you need an average of 5 to pass.
• Competition: Public FP places are limited, and you are ranked by grade within the quota for your route.

The short answer

Foreign studies open the door to FP only when Spain recognises them as equivalent to a Spanish title. If they are not recognised, you enter through the access test instead. Either way, places in public FP are competitive, so a valid way in is not a guaranteed place.

Option 1: use your foreign title

Your foreign secondary qualification must be equivalent to the Spanish ESO title for Grado Medio, or to Bachillerato for Grado Superior. Qualifications from the EU, or from countries with an agreement with Spain, can be accepted.

In many cases you need the equivalence or homologation recognised by the Ministry of Education. Documentation rules, such as legalisation and translation, vary by country and region. Ask your regional education department what your country needs before you start, because this step can take time.

Option 2: take the access test

If your title is not recognised, you can sit the access test (prueba de acceso). It does not require homologation.

Who can sit it

• Grado Medio: you must be at least 17 in the calendar year of the test and not hold the ESO title or an equivalent.
• Grado Superior: you must be at least 19 in that year, or 18 if you hold a Técnico title related to the family you want. You must not hold Bachillerato or an equivalent.

What it covers

• Grado Medio has three parts: Communication (Spanish, the co-official language and a foreign language), Social, and Scientific-Technical.
• Grado Superior has a common part (Spanish language and literature, a foreign language, and mathematics) and an optional part that depends on the family you choose.
• Each part is scored 0 to 10. The final grade is the average, and you need 5 to pass.
• Exemptions exist, for example for relevant work experience, high-level athlete status, or parts you have already passed, which you keep.

When Regions usually hold the test once or twice a year, often in May or June, with another session in September. Registration usually opens a few weeks before each session, commonly April to May for the spring session and July to August for September. Each region sets its own dates, so check your education department's calendar each year.

Getting a place

When more people apply than there are places, regions reserve quotas by access route. A typical split for Grado Medio is about 60% for ESO holders, 20% for FP Básica or other qualifying routes, and 20% for access-test candidates. For Grado Superior it is about 60% for Bachillerato, 20% for Técnico and 20% for access-test holders and others. Some places are also reserved for elite athletes and people with disabilities.

Inside each quota, you are ranked by the average grade of your qualifying title or test. Tie-breakers differ by region. Applications go through a regional online system, usually in June and again in September. Percentages and dates are set by each region.

If there is no equivalent of the ESO title

If a teenager has nothing equivalent to the ESO title, the access test is the route, subject to the age rule above. See the "What if" section below.

Use the decision, timeline, documents and checklist below to plan your route.

Choosing between options

Should you enter FP with your foreign title or through the access test?

• Use your foreign title: Your title is recognised or equivalent to ESO (Grado Medio) or Bachillerato (Grado Superior). You then compete in the quota for your route, ranked by your average grade.

• Take the access test: Your title is not recognised or equivalent. You pass with an average of 5 out of 10 and compete in the entry-exam quota, ranked by your test grade.

If your foreign title is recognised or equivalent, use it. If not, take the access test. Places are competitive, so a higher average grade ranks you better within your quota.

Timeline and deadlines

• Sit the spring access test: often May to June

• Register for the September access test: usually July to August

• Sit the September access test: often in September; some regions also hold a session in March

Documents you need

• Your foreign secondary qualification, as issued, showing it is equivalent to the Spanish ESO title (for Grado Medio) or Bachillerato (for Grado Superior).

• The homologation or equivalence recognition from the Ministry of Education, which is needed in many cases to use a foreign title for FP entry. It is not needed if you take the access test instead.

Checklist

• Check whether your foreign title is equivalent to the Spanish ESO title (Grado Medio) or Bachillerato (Grado Superior).

• Ask whether your case needs homologation or equivalence recognised by the Ministry of Education.

• Confirm your age: at least 17 in the year of the test for Grado Medio, or at least 19 for Grado Superior (18 with a related Técnico title).

• Pick the parts to prepare: Communication, Social and Scientific-Technical for Grado Medio, or the common part plus an optional part for your family for Grado Superior.

• Ask whether you are exempt from any part, for example through work experience or parts you already passed.

• Find your region's registration window and test dates, usually spring and September.

What if your teenager has no equivalent of the ESO title?

If your teenager has no title equivalent to the ESO, there are five ways forward. The right one depends mostly on their age.

Under 18: stay in school or switch to FP Básica

Your teen can stay in ordinary ESO until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 18. Regions can allow students with special educational needs to stay longer.

FP Básica is a practical two-year vocational course. Passing it gives the Título Profesional Básico, which opens Grado Medio directly, with no entrance exam. Since the latest education reform, students who pass it can also earn the ESO title by passing the key competences evaluation. Each region sets the procedure, so ask the school how it works locally.

From 18: adult ESO or the free test

• Adult ESO (ESPA). You must be at least 18 in the calendar year of enrolment. From 16 you may qualify if you have a work contract that prevents attending ordinary school, are an elite athlete, or have other exceptional circumstances. Some regions also admit 16- and 17-year-olds who left the ordinary system. The region approves each case, so ask what paperwork it wants.
• Prueba libre. This is an exam for the ESO title, for people aged 18 or over in the year of the test. Some regions admit people from 16 who prove they cannot attend school, for example because of work. It is usually held once or twice a year. It has three areas: communication, social, and scientific-technological. Your teen can pass the areas separately, and the grades are averaged to award the title. Dates and format depend on the region.

Studying at a distance

Public distance centres offer ESO and Bachillerato, generally from age 18. From 16 you can enrol in exceptional cases: a work contract, elite sport, serious illness, or living abroad. Under 16 is not normally allowed. Some regions run specific online programmes for minors, so ask your regional education department.

Access tests

If your teen has no title at all, ask the regional education department whether they can sit an access test for Grado Medio. Check the minimum age, the dates and what the test covers. A pass can replace the missing title for that step.

Whichever route you pick, start with your teen's school or the regional education department. They can confirm which options your teen qualifies for now, and when enrolment or exams open.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need homologation to use the FP access test?

No, the FP access test does not require homologation of your foreign title. It is meant for people without a recognised title, so you can sit it instead of going through recognition.

How is the FP access test scored and what mark do I need to pass?

You need a final grade of 5 out of 10 to pass the FP access test. Each part is scored 0 to 10 and the final grade is the average. Parts you have already passed are kept, and some people are exempt, such as those with relevant work experience or high-level athletes.

How are places ranked if more people apply than there are places?

Places are split into quotas by access route, and you compete only within your own quota. Inside it, applicants are ranked by the average grade of their qualifying title or exam, with tie-breakers set by region.

When do I apply for a place in public FP?

Applications to public FP usually run through your region's online system in June and again in September. Your region sets the exact dates.